As the pressure mounts on Chelsea — overtaken by Tottenham Hotspur last night
in the Barclays Premier League and facing a potential fixture crisis — so
more reports of apparent disharmony between players and management have
surfaced.

It was claimed last night that Rafael Benítez was involved in a heated row
with his players on the training ground yesterday, with suggestions that the
interim manager accused the squad of lacking effort and failing to
understand tactical demands.

Gary Cahill has blamed Chelsea’s faltering form on fatigue as a result of
their “ridiculous” fixture list, but the club’s congested calendar could get
even